Wall panel mounting means



D. R. RlzzoLo 2,312,673

WALL PANEL MOUNTING MEANS Filed Nay 21, 1941 .Til l 1NVENT0R ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. Z, 1943 UNETED STATES PATENT OFFICE WALL PANEL MOUNTING MEANS Donato R. Rizzolo, Bloomfield, N. J. Application May 21, 1941, serial No. 394,45 11 claims. -(o1. 18a-'88) This invention relates to means for mounting facing panels or tiles upon building walls; and

the invention has reference, more particularly, to novel means for securing flanged metal panels or other flanged tiles to the face of a building wall.

This invention has for an object to provide novel anchoring clip means adapted to be afxed to a building wall face, the same being of such character that the flanges of panels or tiles, with which the wall is desired to be faced, may be quickly and easily engaged therewith without requiring the use of tools, and whereby, when so engaged, said panels or tiles are strongly gripped so as to be firmly secured and retained in place against accidental displacement, and yet in such manner that removal of any one or more thereof may be as quickly and easily accomplished should occasion require.

This invention has for another object to provide a very simple, economical and yet highly efficient gripping clip means for mounting flanged facing panels or tiles upon Wall faces, wherein no separable fastening elements requiring tool manipulation are involved, and whereby lthe panel or tile flanges may be quickly pressed into the grip of said clip means so as to be frictionally gripped thereby, and thus rmly retained in operative assembled relation to and upon abuilding wall face.

A further object of this invention is to provide gripping clip means for the purposes stated which are very compact, being of minimum projecting dimensions, to the end that panelsY or tiles of minimum overall thickness may be utilized, and the overall thickness of a building Wall as faced therewith likewise be reduced to a. minimum.

VOther objects of this invention, not at this time more particularly enumerated, will be understood from the following detailed description of the same.

' Illustrative embodiments of this invention are shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a fragmentary front elevation of a building wall faced with anged panels mounted thereon and held thereto by gripping clip means made according to this invention; and Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a group of adjoining panels secured in place by the novel gripping clip means of this invention, portions of said panels being broken away to show underlying gripping clip means in elevation.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view, taken on line 3-3 in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4 4 in Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken on line 5-5 in Fig. 2; and Fig. 6 is a sectional view similar to that of Fig. 3, but showing a somewhat simplied form and mounting of the gripping clip means.

Similar characters of reference are employed in the above-described views, to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawing, an illustrative formA of wall facing panels or tiles therein shown comprises a sheet metal body I0 having rearwardly projecting marginal anges II extending around the periphery thereof. Usually, the exterior face of panels of this type arecoated with vitreous or other enamel or other suitable coating material of selected color or other desired appearance or texture modifying characteristics.

The novel panel or tile gripping and anchoring clip means according to this invention may be secured directly to a wall to be faced with the panels or tiles, but are preferably mounted on furring strips which are fastened to the wall structure. In the mounting arrangement shown in Figs. l to 5, inclusive, of the drawing, furring strips I2 of channel iron are provided. If the wall I3 is of masonry construction, these furring strips I2 are secured thereto by lag screws I4, and are slightly offset from the wall by interposed washers I5; the furring strips being disposed with the channeled faces thereof outwardly presented. The furring strips I2 are provided with slots I2' through which the lag screws pass, so that said furring strips may be quickly and easily matched and adjusted relative to the apertures provided in the masonry or other wall for the reception of the fastening lag screws.

A form of the novel gripping and anchoring clip means for attachment to the channel iron furring strips I2 comprises, a carrier element I6 made of sheet metal having angular end portions I'I to embrace the sides of a furring strip I2, which end portions terminate in in-turned keeperV lugs IB to engage beneath the body of said furring strip; the assembly being such that said carrier element I6 bridges across the flanges and the open side of the furring strip, and so as to be slidably adjustable along the latter whereby to position a clip means carried thereby in proper location to engage flanges II of applied panelsor tiles, as will be subsequently more fully set forth. The clip means per se is formed from sheet metal of springy or resilient character, and comprises a fiat main body or base I9, the

opposite sides of which are cut away to form spaced apart pairs of oppositely and laterally projecting tongues which are upwardly and inwardly curled or rolled, whereby the free end portions thereof provide resilient gripping jaws 25. The pairs of laterally aligned gripping jaws 2) thus provided are preferably located adjacent to the respective ends of the body or base I9, and in such manner that said pairs are spaced apart to provide an intermediate open space or gap therebetween. The body or base I9 is mounted on the carrier element i6 so as to be rotatable in the plane thereof, the rotatable con: nection being afforded by a central pivoting rivet 2 which joins the clip means to the supporting carrier element l5. Afiixed to said body or base I9, to upstand therefrom respectively intermedi-V ate each pair of laterally aligned gripping jaws 2 0), are stationary jaw or gripper elements 22, which also serve to space apart the margins of adjacent panels or tiles, when .the latter as assembled and operatively engaged by the clip means. 'I'hese stationary jaw or gripper elements 22 may com.- prise upstanding posts or pins having their footed ends riveted, welded .or 'otherwisesecurely af.- fixed to the body or base i9, or the sameniay be in the form of tongues integral with and struck upwardly out of the material Vof said body or base i9. Said stationary jaw or gripper elef- Inents `22 are preferably tapered toward their free ends. l

In the use of the clip devices, in an illustrative forin 'thereof as above described, the furring strips l2 having been affixed to the wall to be faced in suitable locations in accordance with the size 'of the Vpanels l0 to be employed, the carrier' elements Iof the clip devices are adjustably moved along the furring strips so as toprop; erly position the same foru engagement by the flangesA ll of adjoining panels or tiles lll.` To engage outer courses of panels or tiles, the frrin'g strips and' @up devices are positioned within thernarzglins of thepanels or tiles which defne'an exterior edge of the` wall facing tov be formed thereby, 'and the clipdevices are turned todispose'their gripping elements for the` re;- ception of adjoining flanges of said outer course efpanels or tiles which are` angular to said ex.- teriorfacing edge (see Fig.' 2e). Vihele the pan.- els or tilesof inner. courses thereof adjoin, a fu'rri'ng stri-p V|12 is aligned centrally between ad.- jo'iriing courses thereof, so as to intersect points where'the corners'of four adjoining panels or tiles are contiguous, and the clip devices. are arranged to strad'dle the' four adjoining panels or. tiles, whereby one set of grippingelements will receive and engage adjoining flanges of two of the'four panels or tiles and the`other set of gripping elements will receive and engageV aligned adjoining flanges of the. otherftwo ofmsaid four panels or tiles.

` From the above described disposition of. the furring strip and the clip devices mounted thereonand from an inspection of Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing more speeally, it. Will. be Obvleusillet thean'ges li of each applied. individual panel opine. mji's grippeciby a. @updevicer at a 'point adjacent tov each corner thereof, and consef quently each tile is strongly and firmly held in place. Thisholds goodA for all 'panels' orv tiles with the exception ofthose at' the corners. of the. wall facing as a whole, which are. engaged bythe described clip devices only adjacentto three `corners' thereof. Eor this reasonan aux-- iliary. outer corner clip/device for. such corner;-

- gripping jaw m25, so as to be firmly 1.1?0111 by 'Outward bul panels or tiles is provided. This auxiliary clip device comprises, a carrier element I6 to engage the furring strip l2, and aiiixed to this carrier element is a body or base 23 having an outturned abutment piece 24 at one end. rIhe opposite end of said body or base 23 is cut away to form at least one tongue which is upwardly and inwardly curled or rolled, whereby the free end portion thereof provides a resilient gripping jaw 25 which is opposed to said abutment piece 24 (see Figs. 2 and 5). The auxiliary corner clip device is positioned to engage a flange H of a corner panel or side adjacent to the outer corner of the latter, said flange being inserted betweenthe abutment piece 24 and the resilient gripped by and between these elements.

In applying the panels or tiles Eil to the clip devices, all that is required is to register the flanges -l of the panels or tiles for entrance between a static-nary jawv or gripper element 22 and a resilient gripping jaw 23. opposedtliereto., and thereupon press home the panel or .tile so 'as Vto engage the flanges thereof between such gripping devices. The gripping jaws 2.0, due to their re.- silience, will tensionally press the panel or tile flange portion engaged thereby strongly and firmly against the opposed side of -the stationary jaw or gripper element 22, and consequentlya strong frictional grip is exercised upon the thus engaged panel or tile flange portions which firmly hQlds' the applied panel or tile in place Securely against accidental displacement. To provide an enhanced grip upon the panelV or tile flanges, and thus further assure against accidental dis.- placement thereof from their proper assembled relation upon the wall face, it is preferable that the flanges Ily be somewhat inwardly pitched or inclined. It will be obvious that no special tools are required to perform this simple panel o rlike assembly operation, unless perhaps the operator desires to use a hammer or like instrumentality to tap home the same. 1t will alsol be obvious that the clip devices are automatic in the exer c ise of their gripping function, and consequently separable o1manipulatable fastening devices are vetirely obviated. u

It will be. noted that theY clip device arrange.- rnent is such that the` stationaryjaws orgripper elements 22 are interposedl between adjoining panels 0.1 tiles. thereby Serving additionally as spacers for spacing the. saine uniformly apart, andV thus leaving. intervening. Spaces; between the panel or tile margins, which, in practice, is ..Sllally fllled in and; pointed .un with mastic, cement or like substance (not shownl., whe by to Plorldethe Page1601 Orti-ledfwallfacing Vivi/...lili the desired joined appearance and Ii Will be apparent. Since the panels or oies are. held 111 Plage,- merflfr by the. sirene; frictional grin exercised by the. @lin devices upon. the flanges thereof, that should it be desired for any reason t0 remove one. er more panels at any given point. in the Wall fac" this; may be easny. accomplished by merely lrlserlsingy av suitable hpkflllief instrumentality' betweenadjoining Panes-01? tiles .SQ as. 'wensase. a anee'of ..45 hosen. andrelease bhesarne. from the erin of the clip. devises..

In' ilg- 6 if the dra-Wing: iS. Shown Somewhat Slmplled, fem-.1 of sans" .or tile .holding clip, dej..

Vic@ WhChembQd-lgs ille. @neral prin.c-ipiesfstius1 illlelltillthis. modifi form and arrangement; Offllil? Cielf., the Salbe comprisesa main -in the following claims.

body or base I9' having the curled or rolled tongues which form the resilient gripping jaws The main body or base I9 may be secured, las by fastening screw 2l', or otherwise, directly to a furring strip 26. The main body or base I9 may be provided with upstanding stationary jaw Y, or gripper elements, such as already above described, which are rigidly secured thereto intermediate the resilient gripping jaws 20', or as an alternative thereto (as shown in Fig. 6), a separable combined stationary jaw or gripper element and panel or tile spacer means may be provided in the form of an insertable wedge key 21, adapted to be driven between two adjoining panels or tiles I9 so as to engage the respective bodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof as defined It is therefore intended -that all matter contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawsitely extending tongues each inwardly curled y upon itself to form the free end portion thereof into a resilient gripping jaw, said jaws being oppositely arranged and spaced to provide intermediate outwardly open space adapted to receive insertion of the flanges of adjoining panels, and

.wedge-like means intermediate said jaws adapt- -ed to engage between outer sides of said flanges of adjoining panels and so as to thrustingly en- 4,gage said flanges against said jaws, whereby to tensionally flex said jaws and thus frictionally `grip said flanges respectively between said wedgelike means and said jaws as well as to space the adjoi-ning panels from which said flanges spring.

' 2. Attachment means for mounting wall facing panels having rearwardly projecting peripheral iianges comprising, a clip means adapted to be mounted on the wall to be faced so as to engage a plurality of adjoining panels, said clip means including a flat lying base portion having oppositely extending tongues each inwardly curled upon itself to form the free end portion thereof into a resilient gripping jaw, said jaws being oppositely arranged and spaced to provide intermediate outwardly open space adapted to receive insertion of the flanges of adjoining panels, and Yan upstanding tapered stationary gripper and panel spacing element aixed to said base portion to extend intermediate said jaws and adapted to engage between the outer sides of inserted panel flanges so as to thrustingly engage the latter with tensionally flexing effect upon said jaws, whereby to frictionally grip said panel flanges.

, 3. Attachment means for mounting wall facing panels having rearwardly projecting peripheral flanges comprising, a clip means adapted to be mounted on the wall to be faced so as to engage a plurality of adjoining panels adjacent to the meeting corners thereof, said clip means including a flat lying base portion having spaced apart pairs of oppositely and laterally extending tongues, each tongue being inwardly curled upon itself to form the free end portion thereof into a resilient gripping jaw, pairs of said'jaws being oppositely arranged and spaced to provide intermediate outwardly open space and being respectively adapted to receive insertion of the flanges of four adjoining panels adjacent to meetingecorners of said panels, and wedge-like means intermediate opposed jaws adapted to engage between outer sides of inserted panel flanges so as to thrustingly engage the latter with tensionally flexing eifect upon said jaws, whereby to frictionally grip said panel flanges and so as to relatively space the thus engaged panels.

4. Attachment means for mounting wall facing panels having rearwardly projecting peripheral flanges comprising, a clip means adapted to be mounted on the wall to be faced so as to engage a plurality of adjoining panels adjacent to the meeting corners thereof, said clip means includ ing a flat lying base portion having spaced apart pairs of oppositely and laterally extending tongues, each tongue being inwardly curled upon itself to form the free end portion thereof into a resilient gripping jaw, pairs of said jaws being oppositely arranged and spaced to provide :intermediate outwardly open space and being respectively adapted to receive insertion of the flanges of adjoining panels adjacent to meeting corners thereof, and upstanding combined stationary tapered gripper and panel spacing elements affixed to said base portion intermediate the jaws of each pair thereof, whereby to engage outer sides -of said panel flanges in opposition to said jaws, and means intermediate said pairs of rjaws to ycentrally pivot support said base portion whereby the clip means may be rotatively adjusted to selected positions for operatively engaging either two or four adjoining panels.

5. In attachment means for mounting` wall facing panels having rearwardly projecting peripheral flanges, the combinationv with a furring strip adapted to be secured to a wall to be faced of a carrier element slidably adjustable along said furring strip, and a clip means mounted on said carrier element, said clip means comprising a base portion having a tongue extending there from, said tongue being curled upon itself to form the free end portion thereof into a resilient gripping jaw adapted to engage the inner side of a panel flange, and means engageable with the outer side of said flange in opposition toy said jaw,

whereby to frictionally grip said flange wheny the same is engaged between said means and said jaw.

6. In attachment means for mounting wall facing panels having rearwardly projecting pe- ,ripheral flanges, the combination with a furring strip adapted to be secured to a wall to be faced of a carrier element slidably adjusted along said furring strip, and a clip means adapted to engage a plurality of adjoining panels, said Vclip means including a base portion pivotally connected with said carrier element whereby the clip means may be rotatively adjusted to a desired operative position, said base portion having oppositely extending tongues each inwardly curled upon itself to form the free end portion thereof into a resilient gripping jaw, said jaws being oppositely arranged and spaced and being respectively adapted to engage inner sides of the iianges of adjoining panels, and means intermediate said jaws adapted to engage outer sides of said anges in opposition to said jaws, whereby to frictionally grip said flanges when the jaws as well as lto space the adjoining panels rfrom which 4said flanges spring.

-7. In 'attachment lmeans for mount-ing 'wall `facing panels having rearwardly projecting peripheral iianges, the ycombination `with a `-furring strip adapted to be secured to` a 'wall -to Ybe faced of -a carrier element -slidably adjustablealong said furring strip, and a clip means adapted 'to engage a plurality of adjoining panels, said clip means including -a lease por-tion pivotally ccnnected with said .carrier element whereby the 'clip means may be rotatively adjusted to- Aa desired operative position, said base .portion having oppositely extending tongues each inwardly curled upon itself to form the rfree end portion thereof into a resilient gripping jaw, said jaws being oppositely arranged and spaced vand ibeing respectively adapted .toengage inner sides of the lianges .of adjoining panels, and an upstanding combined stationary gripper and'panel spacing ielement aflixed to said base portion intermediate said jaws and .adapted to .engage .the

.outer sides of said panel flanges in .opposition to said jaws.

8.. 'In attachment means for mounting wall facing panels having rearwardly' projecting :peripheral flanges, the combination with a urring stripadapted to be secured to a wall'to be faced .of a carrier element slida'bly adjustable along said furringr strip, and a clip means adapted '-to engage a plurality of adjoining panels adjacent to meeting corners thereof, said 4clip means including a base portion pivotally Yconnected with vsaid carrier element whereby the cli p mea nsrnay be rotatively adjusted to a desired'operative position, said base portion havingspaced apart pairs of oppositely and laterally extending tongues, each tongue being inwardly curled upon :itself to form the free end portion thereof into aresilientgripping jaw, pairs of said -jaws being oppositely arranged and spaced and v`'being re'- spectively adapted to engage inner sides of the Y Isame are engaged Ibetween said -means and said lto `meeting corners thereof, said clip-,means including va base portion -pivotally connected with said carrier element whereby the clip means may be rotatively adjusted to va desired operative Position, said base portion 'having spaced apart pairs of oppositely and laterally extending tongues, each tongue being 'inwardly curled upon itself to form `the free end portion thereof into -a resilient gripping jaw, pairs of said jaws being oppositely arranged Vand spaced and being respectively adapted to engage inner sides of the anges of adjoining panels adjacent to corners thereof, and an upstanding combined stationary gripper -and panel spacing element aiiixed t0 said base portion intermediate Athe jaws of each pair thereof, Vwhereby 'to engage outer sides of said panel anges inl opposition to said jaws.

l0. In attachment means for mounting 'wall facing panels -having rearwardly `projecting vp eripheral flanges, the combination with a furring strip adapted to be secured to a 4-wall to be faced of a clip means adapted to engage a plurality of yadjoining panels, means for slid-ably mounting said clip means on said furring strip, said clip means having oppositely extending tongues each inwardly curled upon itself to for-m the free end portion into a resilient gripping jaw, said jaws being oppositely arranged and spaced vand 'being ladapted to engage inner sides of the flanges of adjoining panels, and Vwedge-like means intermediate said jaws adapted to engage outer sides of said flanges 1in opposition to said jaws, whereby to frictionally grip said flanges when Athe same are engaged between said means and `said jaws as well as to space the adjoining panels from-which said flanges spring.

l1. In attachment means for mounting wall facing panels having Krearwardly projecting A.peripheral Iianges, thecombination with afurring strip-adapted to besecured toawall tobe faced of a clip means adapted -to engage -a 'plurality 4of adjoining panels, means for slidably mounting said .clipmeans -on vsaid furri-ng strip, said clip means` having oppositely extending tongues each inwardly curled upon itself to form-theffree end portion into a resilient gripping jaw, said jaws being oppositely arranged-and spaced and bein g adapted to engage inner sides of the ,anges of adjoining panels,` an opstandingl combined stationary taperedgripper and panel spacing element aiixed to said clipr meansV intermediate said jaws and adapted to engagetlie outer sides of said panel flanges 'in OPPOsition to said jaws.

DONATO VR. RIZZOLO. 

